India, May 9 -- India said that Pakistan did not close its airspace on Thursday night, when it launched a drone attack on several Indian cities. Centre claims that this was done to ensure that when India launches a swift air defence response, civilian flights would be used as a shield.

Pakistan did not close its civil airspace despite it launching a failed unprovoked drone and missile attack on 7 May at 08:30 hours in the evening. Pakistan is using civil airliner as a shield, knowing fully well that its attack on India would elicit a swift air defence response," Wing Commander Vyomika Singh said during a press briefing on Friday.

"This is not safe for the unsuspecting civil airliners including the international flights which were flying...